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Immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin in metastatic brain tumors

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Abstract

The adhesion molecule E-cadherin has been shown to influence malignant transformation of tumors, including local and distant metastases. We examined the expression of E-cadherin to determine its relationship to the development of metastasis in metastatic brain tumors. Immunohistochemistry for E-cadherin and Ki-67 was carried out in 76 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival specimens of metastatic brain tumors and in 14 corresponding available primary tumors from patients who received treatment for metastatic brain tumors. The primary tumors were mainly lung cancers (51.3%), followed by gastrointestinal tumors (28.9%). E-cadherin was expressed in 62 (81.5%) of 76 cases examined. In metastatic adenocarcinomas, a consistent tendency for E-cadherin expression was noted, regardless of the degree of differentiation or the extent of spread of the disease (P=0.4). There was a direct correlation between E-cadherin expression and high MIB-1 index in all metastatic brain tumors (P=0.0007). Pairwise analysis in 14 primary tumors and the corresponding metastatic specimens revealed high E-cadherin and MIB-1 staining in metastatic brain tumors. These results provide a unique association between E-cadherin, systemic metastasis, and proliferation potential in metastatic brain tumors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, 852-8501, Nagasaki, Japan

    Hamisi Kimaro Shabani, Keishi Tsunoda, Takeo Anda, Yoshiharu Tokunaga, Shobu Shibata & Makio Kaminogo

  2. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Gaspar Kitange

  3. Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan

    Tomayoshi Hayashi & Masachika Iseki

  4. First Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan

    H. Ayabe

Authors
  1. Hamisi Kimaro Shabani
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  2. Gaspar Kitange
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  3. Keishi Tsunoda
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  4. Takeo Anda
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  5. Yoshiharu Tokunaga
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  7. Makio Kaminogo
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  8. Tomayoshi Hayashi
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  9. H. Ayabe
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  10. Masachika Iseki
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Correspondence to Hamisi Kimaro Shabani.

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Shabani, H.K., Kitange, G., Tsunoda, K. et al. Immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin in metastatic brain tumors. Brain Tumor Pathol 20, 7–12 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02478941

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02478941

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